1st American Pension Services, Inc. $150 *Project Over*

[lynchpin5]

(Admin code added by Palmer - 912612W)

Hello again. We just finished a contest for our company and the owner was so pleased and impressed that he wants a contest for his other corporation:

1st APS, Inc. (1st American Pension Services, Incorporated)

By the name, you can see the theme would be "America", yes, they have an eagle as a "mascot", and they favor red, white and blue.

Other than that, it is wide open. I am looking forward to your questions and entries.

lynchpin5

[Bill]

Are you asking for a logo here, then a letterhead and business card design?

[Bill]

Here's an idea to start...

[lynchpin5]

Yes, Bill. Logo, then biz card/letterhead design.

Our vision for these graphics are for them to be modern and corporate. This particular company is the leading voluntary pension provider for a major metroplex market.

We also are leaning toward the letterhead paper being starch white linen. Crimson red (not burgandy) and a dark blue should really jump off the page.

We also would like to see the entire name spelled out. Not sure what we'll think about it, but need to see it.

lynchpin5

[Mark]

Hi lynchpin5

The last contest was a good one. :D Here's my submission for this one.
Cheers,
Mark

[Bill]

Okay, I understand now. Thanks,

[msaygin]

Hi,

Here is my entry;

<img src='http://mehmetsaygin.com/aps2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

<img src='http://mehmetsaygin.com/aps3.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Best,

[MUTE DESIGN]

Here's my logo...
-Anthony

[MUTE DESIGN]

Another...We could use the American Flag as a backdrop on the Logo...just an idea...

[lynchpin5]

Thanks guys for your current entries.

Bill: We need a more professional approach. The eagle sort of looks like a school mascot. Also would like the letters to be less bold. No vert on the biz card. We want it to be a traditional horizontal card.

Mark: We like the format of the page and biz card. We're not crazy about the bird. Looks more like a dove than an eagle. We would also like to see a different font on the 1st APS and maybe without the arch.

kalvinhobs: A little bit too much. We do not want the logo to be shaped by color.

Mute Design: Not really the style we're after. This particular entry has the look of a financial firm of the 1800's. Good, but not modern enough for us.

[Mark]

Here's a few more ideas...

[lynchpin5]

I'd like to see some artwork that includes the American Flag. Let's forget about the eagle for now.

Thanks guys.

[Palmer]

Moved to the logo forum at the request of the contest holder.

[Mark]

Here's a couple more. :D

[Virgil]

Hello,

Here's my first design :)

Gilles.

[lynchpin5]

Ryan: I'm not feeling that one. A little cartoonish for a pension company.

Mark: I think we want to stay away from stars (unless they're on the Flag)

Gilles: No, but you have given me an idea.


OK guys, I haven't given you much to go on. Please be patient with me. Looking at Gilles' entry it reminded me of sails on a sailboat. Sailboats are good icons for people with their eye on retirement. Let's see if we can find a design with an abstract sailboat. Maybe it could don an American Flag. I can't help but see the bridge on Bay Bridge Administrators logo ElKootcho designed and won the contest with. Something like that would be interesting to see.

[Palmer]

One of the rules is to not copy each other so if Gilles idea is to use a sail it would be his idea and the others could not copy it unless he gives his permission.

Maybe the others can think up other abstract ideas that represent retirement like social security checks :D

[Tonya]

<img src='http://www.frobo.com/graphic_work/1aps/1aps1.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[Virgil]

Hello :)

Here's another entry. The idea behind this is that the seniors are protected by the sail and also by the American flag. The seniors under the American sail add the human touch ;) to the logo.

Best regards,
Gilles. :)

[lynchpin5]

Gilles: I like the idea but could you drop the 1st APS and center the boat. Also, I'd like to see a more majestic boat without people. Even an old ship like a cutty sark or something.

Designers: I did not mean to limit this contest to boat entries only, so please keep 'em coming.

I beleive Gilles' first entry was supposed to be an abstract flag, not sails. Please advise.

[Virgil]

Actually they were sails, and not an abstract flag. The "1" was placed as a mast for the sails :)
I will do the changes as requested. :tup:

Gilles.

[lynchpin5]

Very well. Sorry for the mix-up.

Gilles: On the verbage, can we have 1st American on the first line and Pension Services, Inc. a little smaller below it. I would also like to see the font the same color blue as on the flag. Thanx.

[Virgil]

Sure thing :) Working on it :tup: You want me to change the whole boat and place a new design with another boat?

Gilles.

[Virgil]

Changes :)

[Mark]

Here's another idea for you. :)

[lynchpin5]

Mark: I like the top one. Instead of the Statue of Liberty I'd like to see The Liberty Bell.

And can I add that all American Colonial History Icons should be wide open in this contest, please.

[lynchpin5]

Gilles: That's better but we'd still like to see a more majestic ship. Don't lose that graphic though. Also, can you make the blue, bluer and the red, redder. ;) On the red, maybe even a crimson.

[Virgil]

OK, I will change the boat. I won't lose that graphic :) Workin' on changes :)

Best regards,
Gilles.

[lynchpin5]

disturb: We're trying to cut the corners on color. We want to stick with Dark (American) Blue and Crimson (Not Burgundy) Red. :)

[Tonya]

This one just has some slight changes over my previous entry.

<img src='http://www.frobo.com/graphic_work/1aps/1aps2.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[Mark]

:)

[Virgil]

Different boat :)

[Virgil]

A revision of initial sailboat :) I made it a little bigger :)

[lynchpin5]

dynagirl: OK, can you replace the "1st APS, Inc." with "1st American" in the same font as the lower words (keep the size of the top font though on "1st American"). Then remove the "1st American" from the lower words. Also can you change the yellow line to a deep red. On the eagle, could you make the outer circle blue and change the yellow to white? If possible the outline of the eagle would also need to be blue. Thanks.

disturb: That's pretty, but we want a less "literal" picture of identity. We don't want to be too "artsy" but a little more abstract.

Mark: Now I know you're from Canada and all, but the bell wasn't cracked until it fell making it impossible to be swinging and cracked. :D Seriously, I like this one but would like to see it not swinging.

Gilles: Would still like to see more of a ship rather than a boat. I absolutely love the flag on the new boat. The new boat, however, ia too literal. We would prefer more of an abstract, large, colonial ship.

[Raja]

I'll have something for this soon

[Tonya]

<!--QuoteBegin-lynchpin5+Oct 31 2003, 11:50 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (lynchpin5 @ Oct 31 2003, 11:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> dynagirl: OK, can you replace the "1st APS, Inc." with "1st American" in the same font as the lower words (keep the size of the top font though on "1st American"). Then remove the "1st American" from the lower words. Also can you change the yellow line to a deep red. On the eagle, could you make the outer circle blue and change the yellow to white? If possible the outline of the eagle would also need to be blue. [/b][/quote]
Here's are the changes you asked for. I also added a little detail to the eagle.

<img src='http://www.frobo.com/graphic_work/1aps/1aps3.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[Mark]

Sorry about that.... I'm more familiar with moose and beavers ( and I think they swing?) :lol:

Here's the correction + one more. :D

[Raja]

here is my initial concept...just a mark for now

[Raja]

still playing around :)

<img src='http://webfellaz.com/4fun/1stamerican2.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[Palmer]

still playing around
:notworthy:

[ElKootcho]

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/american1.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/american2.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/american3.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[hheine]

Hi !
This is my first one.

<img src='http://www.openmarket.com.br/DesignOutpost/1st_american_01.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://www.openmarket.com.br/DesignOutpost/1st_american_02.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[hheine]

Sorry: broken tag...

The 4th: :D

[Tonya]

<img src='http://www.frobo.com/graphic_work/1aps/1aps4.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[hheine]

<img src='http://www.openmarket.com.br/DesignOutpost/1st_american_03.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[hheine]

<img src='http://www.openmarket.com.br/DesignOutpost/1st_american_04.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[lynchpin5]

Raja: It has more of a trucking company look. We need something that reflects retirement planning.

hheine: We like your first set of entries much more than the second set.

Mark: I think we're straying from the Liberty Bell. I don't think we'll go that direction afterall. But please keep them coming.

disturb: Not really what we're after, yet.

dynagirl: It's looking more and more like an airline logo to us.

Ryan: We don't want the American Flag to be the focal point. Also, we'd like to have an identity that consists of a tangible object of somekind, we think. :unsure:

Gilles: Still anticipating your next entry.

Elkootcho: Ahh! Elkootcho_02 and _03 we like.

[hheine]

:unsure: Ok.

[Mark]

Here's my change.

[Virgil]

Hello :)

Here's another try...not with sailboat but with a cruise ship... :)

[lynchpin5]

Gilles: What we want to see is a 1700-1800's warship with sails. Maybe like the U.S.S. Constitution ("Old Ironsides").

[Virgil]

OK! Workin' :)

[Virgil]

Hello, here's a revision :)

[Virgil]

Another :)

[ElKootcho]

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/stationary.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[lynchpin5]

ElKootcho,

Can I see that with your 3rd entry? The one with just the star.

[ElKootcho]

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/stationary2.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[lynchpin5]

ElKootcho: Can we see a blue line with the red graphic at the top instead of solid blue. The Pres. wants to see how it would look. No need to change the biz card. Thanks.

disturb: I think we're done with Eagles. We've done that since '87. Looking for a more modern approach. Thanks.

Mark: Any other ideas?

[Eagle]

*
*******:cry:

<!--QuoteBegin-lynchpin5+Nov 14 2003, 04:12 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (lynchpin5 @ Nov 14 2003, 04:12 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->...I think we're done with Eagles.[/b][/quote]





heheh, ;)
*

[hheine]

<img src='http://www.openmarket.com.br/DesignOutpost/1st_american_09.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[hheine]

<img src='http://www.openmarket.com.br/DesignOutpost/1st_american_08.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[Mark]

One last kick at it... :)

Here's a bit of analogy.

The "I" in American represent a person looking ahead at the sailboat and into the future that lies ahead. The swoosh repesents the water bringing that sailboat through the "A" (America) and closer to a wealthy pension that comes with retirement savings.

[ElKootcho]

<!--QuoteBegin-lynchpin5+Nov 14 2003, 12:12 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (lynchpin5 @ Nov 14 2003, 12:12 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> ElKootcho: Can we see a blue line with the red graphic at the top instead of solid blue. The Pres. wants to see how it would look. No need to change the biz card. Thanks. [/b][/quote]
I'll get that posted tonight. (Crazy day today)

[ElKootcho]

Is this what you meant? Simply swap the red and blue?

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/stationary3.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[lynchpin5]

Kootch: Oops. No, but after reading what I wrote I can see how you'd think that. What I meant was to make the top with a red line and a blue line instead of being solid blue, which would leave the the top white.

hheine: I like that one. Lemme take it upstairs.

Mark: I like the format. Let me check with the Pres.

[ElKootcho]

<!--QuoteBegin-lynchpin5+Nov 20 2003, 02:31 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (lynchpin5 @ Nov 20 2003, 02:31 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Kootch: Oops. No, but after reading what I wrote I can see how you'd think that. What I meant was to make the top with a red line and a blue line instead of being solid blue, which would leave the the top white. [/b][/quote]
Just a couple of straight blue and red lines?

[ElKootcho]

I think I'm confused :blink:

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/stationary4.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[ElKootcho]

made the "A" more... ummm... boaty? boatish? :P

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/american4.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[lynchpin5]

Kootch: OK. Let me try to do a better job of explaining what I'd like to see. We like the wave at the top and bottom of the page. But instead of the top being solid blue above the wave, we'd like to see a wavey blue and red line. Meaning above the wavey blue and red lines is white. As for the bottom, just one wavey blue line, leaving below the wavey blue line white.

And for the logo: Can you put "1st AMERICAN" above the star and arc, making the "1" and the "N" larger than the rest of the font but even or flush with the top of the other font. Please change "PENSION SERVICES" to blue and maybe add the "INC."


hheine: Could you reduce the size of the "st" in 1st please?
Looks Great! Looks like it will be a toss up between you and ElKootcho

[hheine]

;)

<img src='http://www.openmarket.com.br/DesignOutpost/1st_american_16.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[hheine]

<img src='http://www.openmarket.com.br/DesignOutpost/1st_american_14.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[ElKootcho]

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/american_variety.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />.

[ElKootcho]

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/stationary5.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[lynchpin5]

Kootch: Greatness. Let's take the same graphic (lines) at the top and replace the blue line at the bottom with it.

Also, the Pres. wants to see the letters closer together on "1st American". He likes the bottom right graphic out of the 4 you posted together, only he wants the star on the arc like you originally had it.

hheine: Looks good.

[ElKootcho]

Added the second line to the bottom as requested.

[ElKootcho]

Oops...I just saw your edited post. Here's the stationary with new logo

[ElKootcho]

and the logo alone

[lynchpin5]

Kootch: OK. He likes the letterhead and logo that has the star on the arc (your original design without the letters being closer together) but wants to see the logo just a bit larger.

On the biz card, he wants to see the logo a little larger and top dead center with no solid blue or wavey lines. The logo should take up the majority of the top half of the card (maybe 1/3). Then the name centered with the title centered underneath (fairly large font on the name). Street Address / City,State,Zip / email on the bottom left and Metro# / Toll Free # / Fax on the bottom right.

Thanks.

Now we are getting close! :D

[ElKootcho]

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/stationary_almostthere.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[lynchpin5]

Kootch: This should be a last request...hopefully. We'd like to see the name of the employee a bit larger and maybe with the same font as "1st American". Leave the contact info as is.

We will be voting on this very soon (probably immediately)

[ElKootcho]

<!--QuoteBegin-lynchpin5+Nov 25 2003, 11:50 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (lynchpin5 @ Nov 25 2003, 11:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Kootch: This should be a last request...hopefully. We'd like to see the name of the employee a bit larger and maybe with the same font as "1st American". Leave the contact info as is.

We will be voting on this very soon (probably immediately) [/b][/quote]
I modified the font as requested.

[ElKootcho]

Please keep in mind that once you choose a design, it's normal and expected to make minor modifications after the contest officially closes. So no matter which layout you choose, you can continue to tweak until you're satisfied.

[lynchpin5]

Congratulations, El Kootcho! :tup:

Sorry it took so long.

Thank you everyone for sharing your input and talent. I will be a walking advertisment for this site. It was fun.

lynchpin5